- adipose
- pertaining to fat; fatty
- body mass index (BMI)
- an index for estimating obesity obtained by dividing the weight in pounds/kilograms by height in inches/meters squared, following a formula
- cholelithiasis
- the presence or formation of gallstones
- circadian rhythm
- diverse yet predictable changes in physiological variables, including sleep, appetite, temperature, and hormone secretion, over a 24-hour period
- clean eating
- eating foods that are in their natural state with no chemical additives or preservatives
- food desert
- an area where the population/community has extremely limited access to healthy, affordable food
- ghrelin
- a polypeptide secreted by the stomach that increases appetite, participates in energy homeostasis, and regulates body weight
- glucagon
- a polypeptide hormone secreted by the alpha cells of the pancreas that increases the blood glucose level by stimulating the liver to change stored glycogen to glucose (gluconeogenesis); glucagon opposes the action of insulin and can be administered as an injection to reverse hypoglycemia
- glycemic index (GI)
- a value between 0 and 100 that measures how a specific food increases the blood level of glucose. A score at the low end of the scale (less than 55) indicates a low glycemic index food that has a slow or minimal effect on the blood glucose level; this provides consistency in blood glucose levels.
- hyperplasia
- an abnormal increase in the number of normal cells in an organ or tissue with no evidence of cancer
- hypertrophy
- an increase in the size of an organ, structure, or cellular component of the body
- insulin
- a hormone secreted by the beta cells of the pancreas; a drug principally used to control diabetes mellitus
- insulin resistance
- a missing or lack of response of the muscle, fat, or liver cells to insulin that results in impaired glucose metabolism; also known as insulin sensitivity
- leptin
- a helical peptide hormone produced by adipose tissue that acts on cells in the hypothalamus to suppress appetite and increase metabolism in response to increases in body fat storage; also involved in the onset of puberty and pancreatic insulin secretion
- leptin resistance
- a decrease in the ability of leptin to suppress appetite or increase the body’s energy use
- lipase
- an enzyme that breaks down ingested fat into fatty acids in the GI tract
- lipase inhibitor
- substances used to reduce the activity of lipases found in the GI tract
- Mediterranean diet
- a well-tolerated, palatable diet modeled on the traditional cuisines of Italy, Greece, and the islands of the Mediterranean Sea that includes fish/seafood, wine, whole vegetables, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, deriving 25%–35% of calories from fat
- metabolic syndrome
- the presence of three or more interrelated atherosclerotic risk factors: insulin resistance, elevated fasting blood glucose, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, reduced high-density lipoproteins, abdominal obesity, or increased waist circumference
- nutrient-dense foods
- foods rich in vitamins and minerals vital for health without saturated fats, sugars, and sodium
- obesity
- a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher; an unhealthy accumulation of body fat
- obesity hypoventilation syndrome
- a respiratory consequence of obesity that is characterized by alveolar hypoventilation during sleep and wakefulness.
- overweight
- a body mass index between 26 and 29 kg/m2; having a weight higher than what is expected for a person’s age, sex, height, and build
- serotonin deficiency
- a lack of serotonin, a neurotransmitter and vasoconstrictor with a vital role in cellular processes of sleep–wake cycles, intestinal motility, nausea, vomiting, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, and eating; deficiency may play a role in increasing depression, anxiety, mania, and other health conditions, including weight gain
- sleep apnea
- the temporary cessation of breathing during sleep
- steatosis
- fatty degeneration
- thermogenesis
- the production of heat by the mitochondria within the cells that burn calories and adipose tissue
- thermogenic foods
- foods that if eaten cause a rise in the production of body heat (burns calories and adipose tissue)
- weight bias
- negative attitudes, beliefs, judgements, stereotypes, and discriminatory acts aimed at individuals because of their weight
- weight stigma
- the negative stereotyping of people with overweight or obesity as lacking self-discipline, being lazy or sloppy, and lacking intelligence